Tell me if you have ever had this conversation with yourself:
Self: “I don’t know what color to paint my walls.”
“To be on the safe side, I’ll choose a neutral white or beige,” you decide.
Me: “What color should the sofa be then?”
“It’s better to play it safe and wear white leather,” you argue.
Me: “And the carpet?”
“Hmm, I don’t want it to be too restrictive, maybe a mix of beige and grey,” you reply.
And that’s why so many rooms are as colorless as a bowl of porridge.
Enter Rachel Mae Smith, color consultant and author of the blog The Crafted Life and the book Colorful Living: Simple ways to brighten your world through design, décor, fashion and more (Ten Speed Press, $26), out September 24.
Smith’s love affair with color began because she was the person described above, trapped in a safety palette of cream, beige and brown.
“Ten years ago, I was going through a difficult transition after a failed relationship,” she told me when I called her recently to talk about her new book. “I didn’t have much money and thought that if I decorated my apartment in neutral colors, I wouldn’t waste money on something frivolous that I secretly loved, like a hot pink velvet sofa.”
The result was that she said, “I didn’t like the feeling of being in my own home and I certainly didn’t get any benefit from being there.”
That was then. Today, her home in Chelsea, Michigan, which she shares with her husband and one-year-old daughter, is full of color and therefore joy.
“If you choose colors for reasons other than joy, it can have the opposite effect,” she said. “If you love a particular color, then go for it.” Colorful Living shows how buying furniture in colors you love, whether you prefer pastels, forest or jewel tones, not only gives you a psychological boost, but ultimately saves you money.
After walking readers through a painless introduction to color theory, Smith’s book offers tips on how to find your favorite color that you may have been pushing away. (Hello, yellow!) It then walks you through choosing a palette for your home and incorporating colors you love into your home and wardrobe. Here are some excerpts from our conversation:
Question: What do you think people should know more about colors?
Answer: Color choice doesn’t have to be taken so seriously. More people should go for happy things over safe things. If you consciously choose items in colors that make you happy rather than colors recommended to you on social media, you’re likely to love your stuff for longer. A bright pink sofa or chair with a funky pattern certainly isn’t for everyone, but on the whole, it’s a low-risk venture. Research shows that we tend to stick with eye-catching designs for longer because we crave visual stimulation. A garish piece of furniture may seem shocking, but it could stay in your home longer than you think.
Where should those nervous about adding color start?
Start by adding color to your life with small items that you use frequently. Drinking your morning coffee out of a mug in your favorite color is a start. Then try a lime green soap dispenser or an indigo doormat and see how pops of color on frequently used items can add joy. To add color to a boring room, start with a rug in the colors you love, even if the room has neutral walls and furniture. Then bring color from the rug into the room with artwork, pillows, and accent pieces like vases, sculptures, and planters. Outdoor furniture is also a place to experiment with color. Try colorful garden rugs, pillows, tables, chairs, and umbrellas.
In your book you talk about the economics of color. Most people think that it is smart to invest in neutral colors and that choosing colors is expensive. But you turn that around. Can you explain that?
First, if you paint your walls neutral colors with resale in mind, you’re painting your house for the next owner, not for yourself. You’re missing the point. Second, a colorful house isn’t more expensive. Everyone can afford paint. Products usually cost the same regardless of color. Third, taking the time to create a cohesive color palette can help you reduce impulse purchases and frivolous spending because you’re shopping more purposefully.
While your book is mostly about giving permission to break the rules, you also mention some color rules we should follow. What are they?
Know what you can’t change in your room, such as the flooring, cabinets, and trim, and incorporate those colors into your palette from the start. Don’t ignore existing colors because you don’t like them. Once you incorporate those unpopular colors into your palette, you can choose favorite colors that complement them and make the room feel more harmonious. If your kitchen has gray linoleum floors, find colors that you like and that complement them.
Is there a place for neutrals?
Neutral colors are colors that don’t appear on a color wheel, like beige, gray, taupe, black, white, cream, and brown, and they play an important role in design. In fact, they can make particular colors pop. For example, in my entryway, I painted the ceiling (Sherwin Williams) in Loveable Pink, the color of bubble gum, but the walls are white and the floors are medium brown wood.
What is your favorite color?
If I could paint my whole house pink, maybe I would. My hair is pink. It’s been pink for nine years. It suits me.
Marni Jameson is the author of seven books on home improvement. You can reach her at marnijameson.com.
